Results 181–200 of 4000 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Ruth Kelly

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Short Car Journeys ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: To be honest, I found the hon. Gentleman's argument slightly hard to follow, but if he is talking about taxation, that is clearly an issue for the Treasury. He is absolutely right, however, to say that access from rural communities to neighbouring towns and cities—and, indeed, to London and beyond this country—is hugely important. That is one of the reasons why it is not possible to say...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Short Car Journeys ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: I do; my hon. Friend is absolutely right. Every Londoner should know that the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson) is pledging a minimum 15 per cent. increase in bus fares. I must say to my hon. Friend and her colleagues that this is a very important election, which will have a real impact on millions of Londoners. The Mayor of London has a role on the world stage, whereas the hon. Member...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Short Car Journeys ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: The hon. Gentleman makes a cheap political point. I am sure that he travels on foot to all his meetings and that he would encourage every Member to do the same.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Short Car Journeys ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: My hon. Friend has been assiduous in pushing the case of her constituents. Indeed, I believe that a Department for Transport official recently visited Stockton council and members of neighbouring councils to talk about how they can ensure a good quality bus service in their local areas. The Local Transport Bill, which is currently proceeding through the House of Lords and will shortly come to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: Today I set out my strategy for tackling congestion in our urban areas and on our motorways. I published a report exploring where hard-shoulder running and traffic management systems could bring most benefits, and set out proposals for preserving the benefits of new capacity. The Heathrow consultation closed on 27 February, and the many thousands of responses are now being analysed. I expect...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: I thank my hon. Friend for her interest. Today I published a map of the main motorway network across England, showing the most congested parts of the network and also the roads where it might be possible to open up the hard shoulder for extra capacity. I am sure that the M4 is one of those roads. Of course, the Welsh Assembly may wish to examine the proposals. Where trials have been held we...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: The hon. Gentleman refers to a bid that is currently before my Department for extra investment in public transport in Greater Manchester. As a consequence, an offer to introduce an element of congestion charging around Manchester city centre has been made. No bid has yet been agreed and it will be for the local authorities in Greater Manchester to decide how to consult on that package if and...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: My priority is to focus on the congestion experienced by today's motorists. It is right that there will be a debate, and I am sure that the hon. Lady, who has already expressed her views on the issue, does not want to see any form of road pricing now or in future. We are committed to examining the technology to see whether we can address people's real concerns about privacy, enforcement and...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: The hon. Lady asks me whether the policy is dead in the water; I would offer her a motoring analogy instead. I would describe it as a nifty overtaking manoeuvre to get past stationary traffic ahead. The debate about national road pricing has become increasingly sterile, with enthusiasts thinking that road pricing is the answer to all their problems and with people on the other side saying,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: No, I do not agree. The congestion charge is groundbreaking and we are visited by delegations from across Europe. Indeed, only this past week a delegation from the United States paid me a visit to explore how the scheme has been implemented in London. Traffic levels have decreased, bus patronage has increased and fares have been frozen by the Mayor, who is doing a great job for this city.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Topical Questions ( 4 Mar 2008)

Ruth Kelly: My hon. Friend has made his point with passion and extremely well. I have received a representation, as I believe have Londoners, that that policy would cost them only £8 million—I understand that the correct figure is closer to £108 million. The proposal would force up London bus fares by about 15 per cent.

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: Between 2001 and December 2007, the Highways Agency built approximately 227 miles of motorway and trunk road. The Department does not retain a central record of the mileage of new roads constructed on the local highway network. In England and Wales, 70 miles of new heavy rail route were opened between 2003 and 2007 on the channel tunnel rail link. There have also been examples of the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: The hon. Gentleman has made an important point It is time that more people had the opportunity to use the railway service, which is one reason why I am delighted that there are 40 per cent. more passengers on the railway than there were in 1997. At the same time, we are making the biggest investment in capacity for a generation. Far from managing the decline of Britain's railways, as has been...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: I know that my hon. Friend has raised this issue with my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, who has agreed to visit the black country to view the proposed projects. I understand that this could be a priority for a regional allocation. I think it right for us to devolve money to the regions, so that they can choose between the various competing priorities and invest in those that best...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: It is useful, once in a while, to hear the opposite case being put by a Conservative Member. I know that the right hon. Gentleman's party is not keen on rail subsidy, and would like fare payers to pay more. I look forward to the response of the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) in due course, but the fact is that it is not a choice between rail and road. We must have a good...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: We are of course expanding the network, which is why the cross-channel rail link was such an important project. It is also why we have committed to look in future at whether disused rail lines such as the one between Birmingham and London might be brought back into use. The fact is that we have set out real money—the biggest investment in rail capacity for a generation—to take us up to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: I agree with my hon. Friend, which is why before Christmas I asked Network Rail whether it might carry out a full feasibility study to find out whether a radical project around Manchester would enhance rail services. I know that the Northern Way has looked at that and specifically singled it out as its utmost priority in the plan for the region. I think that in the future a sensibly costed...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: New Roads and Rail (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: I will of course do that, but the fact of the matter is that these issues are for Network Rail to deal with. We have committed the funding for a five-year period up to 2014. Network Rail has put forward a business plan which is now being scrutinised by the Office of Rail Regulation, and which involves investment in 1,300 new carriages, platform lengthening and increasing capacity by, as the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Rail Freight (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: We provide grants to encourage the transfer of freight from road to rail, and more than £44 million has been awarded for the next three years. In addition, we are providing more than £150 million from the transport innovation fund for rail infrastructure improvements that particularly benefit rail freight by improving services to and from the major ports, and a further £200 million for the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Rail Freight (22 Jan 2008)

Ruth Kelly: My hon. Friend makes an important point. It is important for the region and the nation's economy that we have rail services that can work for freight not only during the week but at weekends, but it is also important for passengers that freight services can be accommodated outside the ordinary working day. That is why the strategic freight network is so important. We have allocated £200...


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